The field of the invention relates generally to gearboxes, and more specifically, to a high efficiency right angle gearbox.
Energy conservation is a global initiative and a high priority for many industrial organizations. There is a strong need to introduce power transmission components that exhibit lower power transmission losses during operation. Current worm gear drives typically achieve full-load power transmission efficiencies in the range of 45-90%, depending on the gear ratio, which leads to a conclusion that current industrial worm gear reducer offerings, which are produced by various manufacturers, are inefficient. Helical-bevel gear reducer offerings produced by various manufacturers are large, heavy, costly, and do not interchange with current worm gear applications.
Gearbox efficiency is defined as the power output divided by the power input, for example, the output horsepower (or watts) divided by the input horsepower (or watts). Gearbox inefficiency is one minus the gearbox efficiency. Most of the inefficiency in a gearbox manifests itself as heat which is generated by one or more of the gear mesh, oil drag, bearing rotation, and seal drag.
If such units could be replaced with a unit that provides, for example, gear drive exhibiting operating efficiencies in excess of 85% across a similar range of gear ratios, the amount of energy wasted by the machines in which they are used would be greatly reduced. More specifically, end users of such gearboxes would realize lower operating costs through the reduction in the energy expended.